Improvement in seal-locks



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Patented June 16, 1874.

Locks.

L. HowAn.

STATIONS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIGE.,

JAMES L. HOWARD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 151,983, dated June 16,1874; application filedA April 23, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, J AMES L. HOWARD, of the city and county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful CombinationSeal-Lock; and I do hereby declare'that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure l is a frontelevation of my improved lock inV the condition to which it is adjustedto receive the seal, and tag used with the same.` Fig. 2 is a similarview of the lock locked and sealed, and with the tag secured. Fig. 3 isa vertical central section of the lock, as in Fig..2. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section in the line y y of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the bolt, seen from the rear. Fig. 6 is a perspective view ofthe hasp, seen from the rear. Figs. 7 and 8 represent a glass seal.

The nature of my invention consists, iiist, in the bolt, constructedwith a roof, or watershed, or guard of a peculiar constructiomwhichshields the seal-case, in which it slides,'from rain or sleet. Second,it consists in the coin bination ofthe following` elements: Asealbearing bolt, constructed with an overhangin g watershed, and a casethrough which said bolt may slide; a plate bearing said case, and formedto be bolted fast to a car or its door a staple att-ached to said plate,and a spring locking-pin, constructed and combined as will behereinafter described. Third, it consistsin a rotary disk, with anentrance-hole through it and out of range with the locking-pin-but whichmay be brought in range with it-set in the bolt so as to form nearly thewhole back of the seal-cavity, as will be hereinafter described. Fourth,in a pin within the staple, in combination with the bolt, as hereinafterdescribed. Fifth, in a groove in the bolt, in combination with a pendentpin of the haspstaple, wherebytags aresecurelyconiined when the bolt issealed and locked infront of the hasp. Sixth, in a special constructionof the hasp and staple, as hereinafter explained.

The main object of the improvements just mentioned is designed to meetthe demand which has long been felt and expressed by leadingrailroad-lines for a simple and effective arrangement of a combinationlock and seal, so arranged that there will be assurance that theirfreight-cars cannot be entered without such plain evidence of the factbeing left that, on inspection, will reveal the same and locate thetheft, that evidence being the tamperling with or complete destructionof the sca Many devices have been devised, but have been objected to asnot being secure in and of themselves, or because they could be easilyput out of order, or taken from the car by being detached, or else theydid not insure a safe and reliable sealingof the car.

My seal-lock is free from these objections, d

first, because it is simple in construction, and free of complicatedmachinery or delicate parts liable to get out of order. Second, itisfastened to the ca-r, becoming a positive fixture, which cannot beremoved without breaking. Third, it is so arranged that it sheds Water,and is not liable to get out of order by exposure to storms. Fourth, itis a secure seal lock either for glass or paper seals, as the lockboltcannot be reached without removing the seal or so marring it thatdetection must follow on an inspection. Fifth, it is, irrespective ofthe sealing qualities, an excellent and economical freight-carfastening, and is thus valuable, as it will give to the cars a positiveand` unremovable fastening in place of the old hasp, staple, and pinhung by a chain, while the additional cost is very reasonable. Sixth, itaffords facilities for attaching and locking tags upon the bolt, andthus is added not only a convenience in having printed on them thestarting and destination points, and also the iiispecting-points-theselast to be punched by the inspector with his own special punchbut also ameans by which the inspector is reminded that the seals should beexamined.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I willproceed to describe it.

In the drawings, A represents the lock-case plate 5 15 the slidingseal-carryingfbolt; C, the lock case back plate; I), the hasp. The

plate A is bolted firmly to the car, and the hasp is hinged to the doorthereof. The plate A has a hasp-staple, A1, projecting from its face.This staple has a tag-holding pin, A2, extending from its inner side ashort distance into the passage through which the bolt passes, as shown.Above this staple a case, A3, is cast upon the plate A.V This caseextends from thc face of the plate nearly in form of a box, with acurved or arched top, in the top and bottom ot' which bolt passages a aare provided, while in its front a seal-inspection window, I), isformed. Behind this case the plate A is cut away, or left open incasting, and into this opening the plate C is inserted. This plate hasstop lugs or iian ges c c' formed on its upper and lower ends, and bymeans ot' the lug c it is screwed, as at d, to the back of the plate A.In the plate C a socket for a spring locking-pin, e, is formed, and inthis socket the spring-pin is arranged, as shown in Fig. 4. The frontsurface of the plate C is on a plane with thc back of the opening of thehasp-staple, and also with the remaining portion of the top plate inrear of the boltpassage a of the case A3. The spring-pin, when inlocking-position, stands out beyond the front surface of the plate C,and enters a hole, K,out through the bolt, shown also in Fig. .t. Thebolt B is of a T form, and in its leg or narrow portion a chamber orgroove,

f, is cast, and this groove receives a central coupling-pin, g, of thcplate C, when the bolt is passed down into the ease A3. In the head orwidest part of the bolt a cavity, h, is cast deep enough to receive aglass seal, such as shown in Figs.` 7 and S of the drawings, and havethe same flush with the surface of the bolt. This cavity may berectangular, and its back immovable or of one piece, so far as its usefor the reception of glass seals only is concerned, but to adapt it forboth glass and paper seals at option it is constructed with a pivotedback-plate, E, of a circular form, and with a straight shoulder, E',which, when the seal is in place, forms a portion of the lower shoulderor ledge oi' the cavity. The face of the shoulder E is flush with theface of the bolt, and thus, when a glass seal is broken, the fragmentsmore readily fall down out of the cavity. The bolt above the cavity isconstructed with a broad flange or cap, F, of arching or circular form,which overhan gs the front, back, and edges of the bolt and case in suchmanner as to shed water beyond these surfaces, and above this cap a lug,with a knob, G, projecting horizontally, is east upon the bolt, asshown. The narrow or leg part of the bolt has a groove, 7L', cast in it,extending from the lower end to about midway of its length. This groovereceives the pin A2 of the staple, and thus permits of said pin beingused without hinderance for confmin g a tag, i', as shown. Lips l Z arecast on thc lower corner of the widest part of the bolt, and theseoccupy positions outside of the lugs m m of the case when the bolt is inlocking position. The pivoted plate E above referred to is fastened tothe bolt by means of a T pivot, ES, and near the circumference of thisplate a decoy key-hole, j, is formed in it, and in the same radius ofthis hole a hole, K, for the passage of the locking pin through thebolt, is formed in the bolt. It is intended that the decoy-hole shallstand about one-eighth, more or less, the circumference of the plate Eout of range with the locking-pin hole when the bolt is locked, and toeffect this a segmentslot, a, is cut through the bolt, and a stop-pin,

a', provided on the plate E, as shown in Figs. v

3 and 5. The hasp D is constructed with a staple-eye considerably largerthan the staple, and the front service of this eye portion is beveled orrounded oit' from the eye to the edge of the hasp. The rear side of thestaple is hollowed out, as shown in Fig. 6, so as to make it light, andyet have it strong enough when madevof malleable metal. The top andbottom sides inclosing the eye are of a convex shape, corresponding tothe top and bottom sides of the staple, which are concave, asrepresented. This form of eye allows for the twisting and play of thedoors without binding and undue friction, and the general constructionof the hasp insures a Vperfect annealing when the hasp is made ofmalleable metal.

The bolt being passed into its box through the passages a a', as far asshown in Fig. 1, a glass seal is placed in the cavity. The hasp is nowbrought over the staple. A tag, i, is hooked upon-the pin A2 of thestaple. The bolt is then moved down through the staple in front of thehasp. This brings the seal into the case with its upper and side edgesoverlapped by thc front of the case. When the bolt has completed itsmovement the spring locking-pin c springs into the locking-hole K of thebolt and locks the bolt. To get the bolt unlocked it is absolutelynecessary to break the seal. The seal being broken, and the glass drawnout over the lower edge of the Windowopening, the spring-pin is forcedback beyond the rear surface of the bolt by a solid cylindric key, andthe bolt drawn upward. lVhen the bolt is up the friction of the springlockingpin, aided by a slight forward deflection from a vertical line ofthe lower end of the bolt, caused by the force of the spring-pin againstit, holds the bolt up in its unlocked position. If glass seals are notused and paper ones are, a paper seal is placed in the cavity, the boltlowered, as just described, and secured by the spring-pin. To get at thespring-pin it is absolutely necessary to move the hole in the eircularplate around to a position of coincidence with the spring-pin hole ofthe bolt, and to accomplish this the hole must be found by feeling forit with a sharp wire or instrument, and when found the circular platemust be moved around, and this movement will destroy or so mar the paperseal. as to indicate to the inspector that the seal has been tamperedwith.

In describing the operation in the use of glass seals no mention wasmade of the adjustment of the decoy-hole. The reason for this will beunderstood from the following: For glass 'seals only, the revolvingplate with de- Coy-hole is of no use, except for shielding the springfrom wet when a seal is not in place,

and, therefore, the disk maybe dispensed with and an immovable backhaving a perforation in itmay be used; but while this is the case it isa matter of importance to have an arrangement such as the circular platein a seal-lock, so that either glass or paper seals may be used.Therefore, it will be understood that if the circular plateis at theback of the cavity, and the cavity is fitted with a glass seal, it willbe necessary, in order to unlock the bolt, to turn the hole of the plateto a position of coincidence with the locking-pin hole of the bolt.

In practice, the locks designed specially for both paper and glass sealswill have all four of the edges which inclose the window of the caseconstructed to overlap the seals.

In using glass seals, I propose that they shall be made of brittle glasswith paper of the thinnest kind attached, and consecutively numbered inpairs, so that, there never would be but two seals of the same number.This, with a system of coloring or other change, would lgive to eachcompany its own desi gnated seal. By this means, if the red line7 havetifty cars leaving New York for Chicago, and the seals have 1 5() onthem, the conductors way-bili would show the same, and the inspector atthe dilferent stopping-places, especially at the points where onerailway passes the cars to another, would, after an examination, be ableto certify to their being unopened and their contents safe at thatpoint, and so limit the delivering company/'s responsibility; or, ifdiscovering the same to have been broken, would thus be able to locatethe theft and take steps for the detection ofthe thieves.

I do not claim glass seals, as I am aware that they have been patented 5nor do I claim,

broadly, what is generally designated a seal lock; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

l. The combination, with the bolt and seal case A, of the sliding boltB, constructed with the roof or water-shed F, which overhan gs the frontand sides of the bolt and seal-case, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the following elements: A seal-bearing bolt havingthe overhanging water-shed F; a seal and bolt case, through which saidbolt slides a plate bearing said case and formed to be bolted fast to acar or its door; a staple attached to said plate 5 and a springlocking-pin, constructed, arranged, and combined substantially as andfor the purpose described.

3. The rotary disk having a decoy-hole in it, set in the seal-cavity ofthe sliding bolt, in combination with a spring locking-pin,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. Pin A2 within the staple Al, in combination with the bolt B,substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. IThe groove h of the bolt B, in combination with the pin A2 of thestaple A1, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The hasp D, constructed as described, and with its eye portion formedas shown, in combination with the staple A2, having its top and bottommade with a concave, as and for the purpose described.

JAMES L. HOWARD.

Vitnesses:

ALBERT L. BURKE, JNO. W. BooTH.

